


Look To The Night Sky

by snOwtear (aesthetic_cl0wn)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Aot veterans, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Levi Has PTSD (Shingeki no Kyojin), Of course they do this is Attack on Titan, Reflection, Veterans, the veterans have ptsd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 03:55:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29164542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aesthetic_cl0wn/pseuds/snOwtear
Summary: In the daytime, the Squad Leaders and Commander are valiant soldiers charging into a bloody war. But at night, the armour falls and the broken hearts beneath their seemingly iron breastplates began to crumble. So what do they do?Well, a little tea and some distractions might be a suitable prescription. Midnight fluff and other stuff.
Relationships: Levi & Erwin Smith, Levi & Hange Zoë, Levi Ackerman & Nanaba & Erwin Smith & Mike Zacharias & Hange Zoë, Moblit Berner & Hange Zoë, Nanaba & Mike Zacharias
Comments: 9
Kudos: 42





	Look To The Night Sky

**Author's Note:**

> Thank u so much for actly wanting to read dis. Aaaaaaaaa hope ya like it.

Night had fallen, and the Survey Corps’ resident insomniac was sipping his tea as he silently cursed his inability to sleep. 

Then again, Levi was quite sure he knew the reason for tonight’s sleeplessness. Earlier in the day, there had been an unsuccessful expedition, and countless lives had been lost. As usual. Although the guilt wasn’t exclusive to just tonight.

“Hey there, Levi. Why am I not surprised that you’re still up?”

Levi pulled his eyes away from the tea leaves swimming around in his cup. “You too, Nanaba?” he mused.

“Yep.” Nanaba delicately tossed a piece of firewood into the furnace, her other hand lowering a kettle onto the stove. “Seems like a few of us are wide awake. I think Erwin got dragged out of his office by Hanji. Mike’s waiting on the roof...probably. I’m making tea for all of them.”

The blonde soldier began to drum her fingers on the counter, filling the once quiet air with a welcome noise. On most nights, Levi simply sat with his forehead on the table, willing himself to sleep through the chilling silence. (Sometimes he tried to pull his eyelids open in case of nightmares, but hey. Who cares.)

The tapping sounds stopped abruptly. With her back to Levi, she spoke. “Wanna come with me? You might need it. We all do, really.”

Levi brought the cup to his lips, finishing whatever was left. As he placed the teacup in the sink, he caught Nanaba’s eyes lingering on his slightly scarred fingers. The same fingers that mercilessly sliced the napes of Titans. Ha.

With a low chuckle, Nanaba gripped his arm and pulled him along. A very undignified noise escaped from Levi’s mouth as he barely managed to wrap his hand around the handle of the teapot. Sheesh, Nanaba was starting to pick up a few habits from Hanji, huh?

They passed the corridors, where soldiers’ snores drifted out of the rooms. The pair’s footsteps echoed in the stone building. Levi liked that. It reminded him that there was another living being next to him.

The trapdoor was already open. Levi inhaled a breath of fresh air, his muscles slackening.

Erwin was seated on the ledge, his legs dangling off the building. Standing next to him was Hanji, waving her arms around with so much vigour Levi thought she might fall right off. A distraught Moblit had his head buried in his hands, his face showing utter defeat. Nanaba snorted as she took a seat next to Mike, ever the gentle giant.

Erwin spotted Levi and crawled away, eager to get away from Hanji, who was still cackling like some deranged witch. “Levi! You came. Have a seat. We were wondering if you’d notice us.”

“With whatever sound is coming out of Hanji’s mouth, I would have come here eventually. Does Four Eyes want to go capturing Titans right now? Because I don’t feel like trying to stop her right now.” Levi scoffed, pulling his jacket to his skin. The wind was rather strong, and the building was tall enough to catch the breeze.

“Levi! Look up!”

Hanji squeezed his shoulder, and Levi turned his gaze to the skies. What was she going on about this time-

It was full of stars.

Levi’s lips fell open, his eyes widening. Stars, like pearls flung across the velvety midnight sky. Like the diamond-encrusted chandeliers hanging in a rich noble’s house, except far more elegant than gold could ever be. The same stars he had seen with Isabel and Farlan, the ones he had dreamed of seeing his whole life. The same stars he might see outside the Walls.

He had seen them a few times since leaving the Underground. Although there were so many little twinkling... things  waving at him, he’d always had something missing since _that_ day. But on this cool, summer night, something felt...different. Different from what ever he had felt those other times.

“Levi, scoot over, I wanna chat with everyone.” Hanji patted the stone floor next to her.

The six “veterans” moved closer, sitting shoulder to shoulder as they shushed Hanji. Levi shook his head fondly, a seed of warmth spreading its roots through his chest. The constant ringing of Hanji’s voice in his ear meant she was still there. He’d rather have her annoying him than her not being there at all.

Adjusting her glasses, Hanji pointed at the sky. “Imagine if those very stars could be our friends watching us from above. Maybe...they’re looking at us, cheering us on from up there. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

Levi sighed inwardly as Nanaba raised her hand to wipe her cheek. “Yeah, that sounds great. Knowing that they’re still there, that...that kinda gives me hope.”

Silence filled the rooftop as countless names filled the minds of the six soldiers. They had lost so much. Even though they didn’t show it often, Levi knew they were hurting. After all, who would want to watch children being used to stuff the bellies of monsters? Who would want to witness their closest comrades falling prey to humanoid creatures that ate people just for the sake of doing it? The members of the Survey Corps were cursed with these horrific visions, and they would forever be ingrained in their memories for the rest of their shortened lives. They would drown themselves in alcohol, let their minds grow fuzzy for a night. Maybe, just maybe, they wouldn’t hear their dear friends’ agonising screams still pounding in their ears in their dreams. Wouldn’t have to face reality.

Levi knew. He’d been there.

Hanji draped her arm around Moblit’s shoulder. “I know, I know. It puts a damper on this  gorgeous view, huh?” she yelled, but something was missing from her voice. Something Levi wished was there, because that was what made Hanji...Hanji.

Erwin rubbed his forehead, and Levi caught sight of a few premature wrinkles forming on his temple. “No, Hanji. I think we’ve all wished for that at least once.”

_No kidding._

“But someone had to say it out loud. Plus,” Erwin added, lifting a shoulder, “I have some sentimental nonsense to say too.” He paused, took a breath. “I...hope you don’t die.”

The guy had the audacity to  _ wink _ .

“ERWIN YOU DUMB JERK, THAT SUCKED!”

“Way to ruin the mood, you banana.”

“Mike shut up you’re a banana too.”

“Actually, Nanaba should be the banana. Look at her. Her name can even  spell banana.”

“Haven’t I told you not to mention that again?”

By now, Moblit was chortling so hard he looked like he was going to tumble off the ledge. Then a wheezing cough flew out of his lips as he pounded on his chest. “S-saliva...ch-cho-choked...shit-“ His sentence was cut off by another round of raspy coughing.

“Moblit you idiot.”

Levi couldn’t help the soft laughter that floated into the night. “You’re all idiots.”

With a wide grin, Hanji wrapped Levi into a hug. “Smile more often, Shorty. It suits you.” Warmth radiated from her milk white skin into wherever she had held him. It had been a while since someone had done that to him. The last time must’ve been Isa-

A jolt of what felt like electricity rocked his bones, and he jerked so hard Hanji fell right off. “Oof! Levi, what was that?” Hanji groaned, massaging her back. “Yeesh, I’m getting old.”

“Hanji you’re barely twenty-five.”

“Irrelevant~”

For the second time that night, Mike spoke. “You know, I was just thinking. In a different world, one where we didn’t have to fight those cursed Titans anymore...would we still be friends? Cos’ I’ll admit, I do want to sit on a porch with you guys and enjoy this view.”

Erwin nudged Mike in the shoulder. “Yeah, that sounds pretty nice. Then you’d all see how well I age, while Levi here becomes an old grumpy geezer.”

“Nahh, he’s already a grumpy geezer. Look at him, he’s as short as my granddad.”

“I doubt your grandfather is  that small, Hanji.”

Levi involuntarily tuned out the chatter beside him, the childlike wonder that he had buried years ago climbing its way into his heart and resurfacing once again. The night he lost his two dearest friends (they were as close as siblings, actually), he had been sitting on the same roof, gazing into the same blinking lights that blinded him. Too much light for someone as dark as he was. The glowing orbs did nothing to make him feel less alone.

But then Hanji had plopped herself right next to him, whispering about her hatred for Titans. That changed over time, of course, but the same Hanji remained to this day. Then along came a quirky bunch of weirdos, who seemed to squeeze their way into his heart way too easily. And now here he was, sitting next to the people who truly loved him despite his strange ways.

Amidst the loneliness of the stars...maybe,  just maybe , there was a tiny spark of light.

Okay, who was he kidding, the stars in his life were gleaming right in his face. Whether he liked it or not, they were here to stay.

(He liked it.)

**Author's Note:**

> So this was my first attempt to write fluff in a long time (haven’t tried since 2 years ago) but hope u liked it? If u hv any suggestions on how I can improve this, feel free to comment! Thxxx :)


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